Tips for Teaching Your Children Good Study Habits

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Feeling intimidated by the prospect of studying with your children? Homework does not need to be a chore. Just think of this as investing in your child’s future, by teaching him habits that will benefit him for the rest of his life.

Teach your child how to use a study calendar.

Make a calendar on a drawing block for each month (or buy a big calendar) and provide lots of space for notes. You’ll get a schedule of exams and important dates the school, which you can use to fill in the blocks with your child. Use colored pens so that it is easy to decipher the schedule. Put the calendar on the wall, in a place that is visible to your child. This will help your child familiarize himself with his exam schedule and train him to prepare accordingly.

Pick a consistent time in the day dedicated to studying.

An established study routine is very important, especially for younger school age children. If a child knows, for example, that he is expected to do homework immediately after dinner prior to watching television or just after lunch before going out to play, he will be better able to adjust and ready himself than if he is allowed to do homework any time he pleases.

Create a study corner.

A place to study is equally as important as reserving time for study. Certain places provoke conditioned behaviors. We are conditioned to relax in front of a television. We are conditioned to sleep on our beds. We can condition ourselves to learn by studying at the same quiet place every day. Children need a table or desk to work at every day. Students will complain at first, but they’ll get used to a new, productive way to study when forced to comply.

Make sure the lighting is good and the area is well ventilated.

Nothing can make you sleepier than a poorly ventilated room or dim lights.

Study at the allotted time everyday, even if you don’t have homework.

Practice spelling, second language writing, mathematics tables, or revise lessons from the week. This time can be used for home learning like doing experiments or reading about famous people and what they did. As long as the time is spent learning.

Teach your child that studying is more than just doing homework assignments.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of schoolwork is the difference between studying and doing homework assignments. Encourage your child to do things like: – taking notes as he’s reading a chapter- learning how to skim material- learning to study tables and charts- learning to summarize what he has read in his own words- learning to make his own flashcards for quick review of dates, formulas, spelling words etc.

Don’t let anything interrupt the study time.

This includes watching TV, fixing a snack, and talking on the phone. Some people claim they can study better with music playing. That’s a matter of personal preference. If it’s just quiet background music that doesn’t make your child want to play the drums on her books, it’s probably not too distracting.

Be realistic about your child’s level of effective concentration.

A 7 year old cannot work for too long efficiently. 30 minutes is a good amount of time. After that their minds will wander and the study is inefficient. Let them take a break for 10 minutes. Do not turn on the TV during breaks.

Talk about failure and mistakes honestly.

Everyone fails and makes mistakes. Being able to rebound and succeed after making a dreadful mistake is a talent all its own. It’s called perseverance and all successful people will say that it is perseverance that helped them to succeed.

Teach them how to focus.

Learning to focus is hard and takes time. Help them stay focused in a positive way with gentle reminders to carry on. Soon they will be able to do it on their own. It is a skill that is learned.

Cultivate a positive attitude towards learning.

Of course none of this will help without a positive attitude towards learning. A positive attitude is invaluable. This attitude comes from the parents so be willing to learn along with your child and give them all the support you can.

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